Belgian Forces in Germany (FBA-BSD) | |
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Active | 1946–2002 |
Country | Belgium |
Allegiance | NATO (after 1955) |
Branch | Belgian army |
Role | Army of occupation (1945-1955) Defense of West Germany (1955-2002) |
Size | 40,000 men (at height) |
Part of | British Army of the Rhine Northern Army Group |
Motto(s) | Scutum Belgarum (lit. 'Shield of the Belgians') |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Jean-Baptiste Piron (1946–51) Albert Crahay (1960–64) Francis Briquemont (1993–96) |
The Belgian Forces in Germany (French: Forces belges en Allemagne or FBA, Dutch: Belgische strijdkrachten in Duitsland, BSD) was the name of Belgium's army of occupation in West Germany after World War II. Lasting between 1946 and 2002, the army corps-strength FBA-BSD formed part of the NATO force guarding Western Europe against Warsaw Pact during the Cold War. At its height, 40,000 soldiers were serving with the unit with several thousand civilians also living in the Belgian zone around Cologne.